Vice-president Joe Biden has controversially told an audience made up of several hundred black supporters that Mitt Romney would put them ‘back in chains’ with his Wall Street financial deregulation plans.

The potentially inflammatory comments were made to an audience of 800 at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research in Danville, Virginia, where the majority of people are African American.

‘Romney wants to, he said in the first 100 days, he’s gonna let the big banks again write their own rules, unchain Wall Street,’ said Mr .Biden, who then lowered his voice and added, ‘They are going to put y’all back in chains.’

Joe Biden drew the ire of the Mitt Romney camp after telling an audience that the Republican would put voters ‘back in chains’ with his Wall Street financial deregulation plans

‘I mean he’s using a metaphor…He was making a point that if we repeal Wall Street reform which is what Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan want to do, we’re going to go back to the days where they’re writing their own rules, and we saw what happened.

‘Taxpayers had to bail them out.

‘We had to spend billions of dollars of taxpayer dollars bailing them out.

‘Now I would think that that, you know, that is a problem for middle class taxpayers.

‘That would hamper their ability to take care of their own finances.’

Vice President Joe Biden made controversial statements while in Danville. More than 50 percent of the Virginian town’s population is African American

Following Joe Biden’s comments to the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research in Danville, Virginia, Republican commentators have called upon President Obama to apologise for his deputy

‘In case anyone was wondering just how low President Obama could go in his campaign for re-election, we now know he’s willing to say that Governor Romney wants to put people in chains,’ said Saul.

Joe Biden and His Gaffes

August 2012: Joe Biden told an audience made up of several hundred black supporters in Danville, Virginia, that a win for Mitt Romney would put them ‘back in chains’ with his Wall Street financial deregulation plans.

January 2012: During speech at a manufacturing plant in New Hampshire the vice president spoke about outsourcing to India and put on a bad Indian accent while asking ‘How many times do you get the call, ‘I like to talk to you about your credit card.’

December 2010: During the swearing in of a Republican Senator Mark Kirk in Congress, Biden told the Capitol Hill newcomer to put that hand on the Bible and raise his left. According to the congressional rulebook, it should have been the other way round.

March 2010: He dropped the F-bomb during the signing of the administration’s historic health reforms, apparently unaware that the microphones would catch him out when he whispered into the President’s ear immediately before the announcement, declaring: ‘This is a big f****** deal!’

March 2010: Mr Biden said ‘God rest her soul’ in reference to the mother of Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen. Mr Cowen’s mother is alive; his father had died. Realising his misstep, he corrected with: ‘God bless her soul’.

October 2008: Speaking in Athens, Ohio about John McCain’s economic strategy, he said: ‘Look, John’s last-minute economic plan does nothing to tackle the number-one job facing the middle class, and it happens to be, as Barack says, a three-letter word: jobs. J-O-B-S, jobs.’

September 2008: During a political rally in Missouri, he urged wheelchair-bound state senator Chuck Graham to rise and be recognised, saying: ‘Stand up, Chuck, let ’em see ya.’ Realizing his mistake, he said: ‘Oh, God love you… what am I talking about?’

September 2008: After he was named the vice presidential nominee, he addressed a crowd in Nashua, New Hampshire, questioning how he beat out Hillary Clinton: ‘Hillary Clinton is as qualified or more qualified than I am to be vice president of the United States of America,’ he said in New Hampshire. ‘Quite frankly it might have been a better pick than me.’

August 2008: He also mixed up Barack Obama’s name at his first campaign rally with the president, introducing him as: ‘A man I’m proud to call my friend. A man who will be the next President of the United States – Barack America!’

‘Whether its accusing Mitt Romney of being a felon, having been responsible for a woman’s tragic death or now wanting to put people in chains, there’s no question that because of the President’s failed record he’s been reduced to a desperate campaign based on division and demonisation.’

As the controversy over Mr. Biden’s comments grew, Saul called on the President to distance himself from his deputies comments.

Democrats rushed to defence of Mr. Biden claiming that his metaphor was taken out of context and that he was talking in purely financial terms

President Barack Obama, accompanied by Vice President Joe Biden, are now preparing for the November election against Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan

‘After weeks of slanderous and baseless accusations leveled against Governor Romney, the Obama Campaign has reached a new low,’ press secretary Andrea Saul said in a statement.

‘The comments made by the Vice President of the United States are not acceptable in our political discourse and demonstrate yet again that the Obama Campaign will say and do anything to win this election.

‘President Obama should tell the American people whether he agrees with Joe Biden’s comments.’

Rush Limbaugh also waded into the controversy.

‘They’re going to put y’all back in chains, he says to a predominantly black audience. They’re going to put y’all back in chains. And, of course, the reaction, ‘Oh that’s just Joe. That’s just Joe,’ said the right-wing radio host.

‘He sees a guy in a wheelchair, ‘Stand up Chuck! Oh God bless you, what have I done. Everybody stand up for Chuck.’

‘He’s a walking buffoon and Obama knows it. They all know it. But it’s getting to the point it’s too late to do anything about it. … Is Obama going to be in chains? That’s a good question. Good question. Is Ryan going to put chains back on Obama?’

Republican’s such as Ari Fleischer, George W. Bush’s press secretary took to Twitter to denounce the comments.

Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney speaks during a campaign rally at American Energy Corportation on August 14, 2012 in Beallsville, Ohio

Republican vice presidential candidate Representative Paul Ryan (R-WI) waves after he speaks at a campaign stop at Lakewood High School in Lakewood, Colorado today

‘The press pounded (Sarah) Palin when she talked about ‘blood libel’..,what will they do about Biden’s ‘chains’ remark.’

And as an interesting conclusion to his speech, Mr.Biden appeared to forget where he was.

He thanked those who had come to hear him speak and told them that with their help they ‘can win North Carolina again.’

The decision to block access marks a break from rules previously established by Romney’s campaign.

Reporters usually are allowed to cover President Barack Obama’s fundraisers when they are held in public venues.

A Romney aide who was not authorized to speak for the record said the event is closed to the media because it is a ‘finance meeting’ instead of a fundraiser. The aide said fewer than 40 people were expected to attend.

Ryan attended two Denver-area fundraisers on Monday night where media coverage also was prohibited.